The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-23

ueCkS anu rigging Illeu Wlln uHe lleh WHo
fought ON the sea for the old flag ever since
we were a nation Grandest fleet-the world
ever saw. Sail ON before all ages Run up
all the colors Ring all the bells! Yea, open
ali the portfolios. Unlimber the guns and
load and fire one great brcadside that shall
shake the continents in honor of peace and
the eternity of the American Union! But
lift my hand, and the scene has vanished.
Many of the ships have dropped under the
crystal pavement of the deep, sea-monsters
swimming in and out the forsaken cabin,
and other old craft have swung into the
navy yards and many of the brave spirits
who trod their decks are gone up to the
Eternal Fortress, from whose easements and
embrasures may we not hope they look down
to-day with joy upon a nation in reunited
brotherhood!
At this annual commemoration l bethink
that most of you who We're i'll the naval ser
vice during our late war are now in the
afternoon or evening of life. With some of
you it is two o'clock, three o'clock, four
o'clock, six o'clock, and it will soon be sun
down. If you were of age when the war
broke out you are now at least forty-eight
Many of you have passed into the sixties and
the seventies therefore it is appropriate that
| hold two great lights for your illumination
the example of Christian admirals conse-
Grated to Christ and their country, Admiral
Christian religion been a cowardly thing
they would have had nothing to do with it,
In its faith they lived and died. In our
Brooklyn navy yard Admiral Foote
held prayer meetings and conducted
a revival on the receiving ship
North Carolina. and ON Sab
baths, far out at sea, followed the chaplain
with religious exhortation. In early life on
board the sloop of war Natchez, impressed
lNyt tba pf ha
his spare time for two weeks to the Bible
and at the end of that declared openly:
"Henceforth, under all circumstances,
will act for God.n His last words while
dying at the Astor House, New York, were:
II thank God for all His goodness to me.
He has been very good to me-" When he
entered heaven he did not have to run a
blockade, for it was amid the cheers of a
great welcome. The other Christian ad-
miral will be honored until the day when
the fires from above shall lick up the waters
from beneath and there shall be no more
sea.
"Oh, while old oceans breast
Bears a white sail,
And Gods soft stars to rest
Guide through the gale,
Men will him ne'er forget
Old heart of oak
Farragut, Farragut
Thunderbolt strokel"
According TO his own statement Farragut
was very loose in his morals in early man
hood and practiced all kinds of sin. One day
he was called into the cabin of his father
who was a ship-master. His father said :
david, what are you going to be anyhow|
He answered: II am going to follow the
sea-" ''Follow the sea-" said the father,
land be kicked about the world and die in a
foreign hospitalf' "No,n said David, II am
going to command like you" 'No," said the
father, ''a boy of your habits will never
command anything" and his father burst
into tears and left the cabin. From that
day David Farragut started on a new
life. Captain Pennington, an honored
elder of this church, was with him
in most of bis battles and had his init
mate friendship, and he confirms, what
had heard elsewhere that Farragut was
good and Christian. In every great crisis of
life he asked and obtained the Divine direc-
tion. When in Mobile Bay the monitor Te-
cumseh sank from torpedo and the great
war-ship Brooklyn that was to lead the
squadron turned back, he said he was at a
loss to know whether to advance or retreat
and he says: II prayed, % God, who
created man and gave him reason, direct me
what to do. Shall go onP And voice
commanded me: Go on and went on. -
Was there ever more touching Christian
letter than that which he wrote to his wife
from his flagship Hartfordl my dearest
wife, write and leave this letter for YOU.
/ am going into Mobile Bay in the morning,
If God is my leader, and hope He is, and In
Him place my trust. II He thinks it is
the proper place for me to die I am ready to
submit to His will in that as all other
things. God bless and preserve you, nv
darling and my dear boy, if anything
should happen to me- May His blessings rest
upon you, and your dear mother, and all
your sisters and their children"
Cheerful to the end, he said on board the
Tallapoosa in the last voyage he ever took
''It would be well if died now in harness. I"
The sublime Episcopal service for the dead
was never more appropriately read than
over his casket, and well did all the forts of
New York harbor thunder as his body was
brought to our wharf, and well did the
minute guns sound and the bells toll as in
procession having in its ranks the President
of the United States and His Cabinet, and
the mighty men Of land and sea, the old
admiral was carried amid hundreds of thou
sands of uncovered heads on Broadway and
laid ON his pillow of dust in beautiful Wood
lawn, Sept. 30, amid the pomp of our
autumnal forests
Ye veterans who sailed and fought under
him, take your admirals God end Christ for
your God and Christ. After a few more
conflicts you too will rest. For the few re-
naming fights with sin, and death, and hell
make ready. Strip your vessel for the fray ;
hang the sheet chains over the side. Send
down the top-gallant masts Barricade the
wheel Rig in the flying jib-boom. Steer
straight for the shining shore, and hear the
shout of the Great Commander of earth and
Heaven as He cries from the shrouds: 'To
him that overcometh, will / give 10 eat of
the tree Of life which is in the midst Of the
Paradise of God"